Chapter 82: The Twilight Hermits Society! Shocked Female Mage!
"God-killer?"
Rhodes instinctively touched the top of his head, his expression unchanging.
"I almost forgot about that until you mentioned it," he remarked casually.
"Forgot?" The female mage's face stiffened, disbelief flickering in her eyes.
The God-killer mark—a symbol earned only by those who had slain a deity. How could anyone forget something so monumental? Such an act would be glorified and revered by most. Yet, this man dismissed it as if it were a mundane memory.
"What's there to remember?" Rhodes responded, his tone indifferent. "Killing gods is hardly a big deal."
His nonchalance sent ripples of shock through the mage. To her, the gods were eternal, untouchable. But to Rhodes? They were no more than ants. In the vastness of the cosmos, gods were but insignificant specks of dust.
"Now then," Rhodes said, his tone soft yet commanding. "I'm taking her with me. Do you have any objections?"
The air grew heavy with the ominous surge of demonic energy radiating from Rhodes. The oppressive power consumed the entire mage tower, leaving the female mage frozen, her face pale with sweat. The demigod mage by her side trembled, his gaze darting between Rhodes and the abyss-like aura enveloping him.
"You can't take her!" the demigod mage growled, his voice strained with desperation.
Rhodes tilted his head, a faint sigh escaping his lips. "Why must people complicate simple matters?" His eyes gleamed coldly, and the darkness behind him coalesced into a terrifying force.
The demonic energy erupted without warning—a black torrent of destruction that swallowed everything in its path. The demigod mage barely had time to react before his escape routes were entirely cut off.
"Forbidden Curse: The Sigh of the Gods!" the demigod mage roared, mustering every ounce of his magic power. An ethereal barrier formed, shimmering like glass, imbued with the might to halt even gods for a fleeting moment.
For a brief second, it held.
Then—crack.
The barrier fractured, splintering into countless shards before shattering entirely. The female mage's expression faltered, disbelief etched across her face. This spell, forged from nearly all her magic, was designed to make even gods pause. And yet, it had crumbled instantly.
"How…?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
Without missing a beat, Rhodes vanished from his spot, reappearing in the blink of an eye. His figure loomed before the demigod mage, who staggered backward in terror.
"Killing gods, slaying enemies... Why leave loose ends?" Rhodes smirked, the corners of his mouth curling upwards.
"No!" the female mage shrieked. "Spare me! The Twilight will come for you!"
Rhodes froze, the name catching his interest. "The Twilight?" His gaze bore into her, unreadable yet unnervingly calm. "So, you're not acting alone. You have an organization behind you."
The mage paled, realizing she'd spoken too much.
"Perfect," Rhodes murmured, raising a hand. Ethereal energy shimmered around his fingertips, snaking toward her.
The Light of Prying Eyes—an invasive magic born of the sin of Lust—invaded her mind. In an instant, her thoughts, memories, and secrets unraveled before Rhodes like a vivid film.
---
The Twilight Hermits Society
From her memories, Rhodes uncovered the existence of the Twilight Hermits—a clandestine organization harboring deep hatred for the gods. They sought nothing less than to bring about the twilight of divinity and liberate the world from celestial dominion.
The Twilight Hermits had persisted in the shadows for tens of thousands of years. They were a haven for those who resented the gods' rule—failed demigods, rebellious saints, and others disillusioned by divine authority.
Joining their ranks required immense strength. Only legendary figures could even perceive their existence, and only those at the saintly level could truly join. At their peak, they boasted dozens of demigods, making them a formidable force in the celestial war.
Rhodes, however, remained unfazed. "A dozen demigods? Dozens of saints? Ants, all of them," he mused, dismissing them with a wave of his hand.
---
The Bloodied Tale of Wendy
The mage's memories revealed something else—a twisted tale centered around a young girl named Wendy. Years ago, the mage had stumbled upon a magical flower capable of slowing the passage of time. But the flower was stolen and consumed by a countess who later gave birth to Wendy.
To the mage's astonishment, Wendy inherited the flower's power. Her hair alone held the ability to delay aging. Obsessed with reclaiming what she'd lost, the mage abducted Wendy and kept her imprisoned in her tower, harvesting her hair to maintain her own youth.
Despite this, the mage treated Wendy with surprising kindness—more so than she'd shown anyone else in her life. But Wendy longed for freedom, and her imprisonment only deepened her desire to escape.
Rhodes sighed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "This is straight out of a twisted fairy tale."
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A Bargain Struck
Rhodes turned to the mage, his expression unreadable. "Let's make a deal," he said. "I know a way to extend your lifespan—permanently. Agree to my terms, and I'll spare you."
The mage blinked, stunned. Was this a trick? Or a genuine offer? Fear of death won over her skepticism, and she nodded frantically.
---
The Sun Elves' Gift
Rhodes transported the mage and Wendy to the realm of the Ancient Sun Tree, a golden colossus that radiated divine power. The mage's jaw dropped as she took in the sight of the towering tree and the countless legendary beasts that surrounded it. Dragons, warriors, and beings of immense power filled the realm, their presence overwhelming.
"This…" she stammered, her voice shaking. "This is beyond anything I've ever seen."
Rhodes smirked, already formulating his plan. With the tree's power, he could transform the mage into a Sun Elf, granting her an extended lifespan and new strength. At the same time, he could ensure the Sun Elf Queen's rise to a level capable of challenging the gods themselves.
As Rhodes worked his magic, the mage could only watch, her worldview shattering around her.